Advertisement

Poilievre asks RCMP to criminally investigate ArriveCan debacle

Click to play video: 'Poilievre warns Trudeau to ‘stay out of the way’ of RCMP ArriveCAN investigation'
Poilievre warns Trudeau to ‘stay out of the way’ of RCMP ArriveCAN investigation
WATCH: Poilievre warns Trudeau to ‘stay out of the way’ of RCMP ArriveCAN investigation – Feb 13, 2024

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has sent a letter to the RCMP asking the commissioner to expand an investigation into the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to include the problem-plagued ArriveCAN app.

The request comes a day after Auditor General Karen Hogan released a blistering report on the pandemic-era program, calling it the worst financial record keeping she has ever seen.

In his letter dated Tuesday to commissioner Mike Duheme, Poilievre said Hogan’s findings have “exposed corruption, mismanagement and misconduct on a massive scale.”

Click to play video: 'Liberals say they’ll co-operate with ArriveCan investigation as Conservatives probe for answers'
Liberals say they’ll co-operate with ArriveCan investigation as Conservatives probe for answers

The auditor general did not use the word “corruption” in her findings and said it was up to the police to decide if what happened was criminal.

Story continues below advertisement

But she did slam the program for its “glaring disregard for basic management and contracting practices.”

She estimates the price tag was roughly $59.5 million, but said the project was so badly managed it’s impossible to tally the final amount.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Poilievre called the handling of the ArriveCAN “completely unacceptable.”

“There were also severe violations of the Canada Border Services Agency Code of Conduct, including failure to disclose whiskey tastings and extravagant dinners paid for by lobbyists and private interests.”

Click to play video: 'Auditor general slams feds’ poor management of ArriveCAN app'
Auditor general slams feds’ poor management of ArriveCAN app

Poilievre raised his letter to the RCMP in question period Tuesday and attacked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for what he has dubbed “ArriveScam.”

In his first comments since Hogan’s reports, Trudeau acknowledged he “and all Canadians expect public servants to follow [the] rules” but said MPs shouldn’t instruct police on what to investigate.
Story continues below advertisement

“We will encourage the RCMP to do its work, but it doesn’t take politicians, even leaders of the Opposition to tell the RCMP to do their job,” said the prime minister.

An RCMP spokesperson confirmed to Global News in an email they had received Poilievre’s request.

“The RCMP is assessing the available information, including the Auditor General’s performance audit report and will take appropriate action,” Sgt. Kim Chamberland wrote.

 

Click to play video: 'Conservatives blast Liberals for ‘ArriveSCAM’ app after scathing AG report'
Conservatives blast Liberals for ‘ArriveSCAM’ app after scathing AG report

The CBSA says it’s looking into what unfolded, and referred part of the probe to the RCMP.

Ottawa launched the app in April 2020 to track health and contact information for people entering Canada. But it led to long waits at airports, technical glitches, and forced thousands of people to quarantine by mistake.

Story continues below advertisement

Last January, the Globe and Mail published a report detailing the bungled contracting process: Ottawa IT firm GCstrategies, which the government hired to build ArriveCAN, subcontracted the work to six other companies.

The auditor general estimated the average per diem for an ArriveCAN external contractor was $1,090, nearly double what a Government of Canada employee would receive.

The federal government’s reliance on non-competitive contracts with outside firms ultimately drove up prices, Hogan found.

—With files from Global’s Aaron D’Andrea and the Canadian Press

Sponsored content

AdChoices